Bolangir police arrested a close associate of a land mafia in connection with a case of kidnapping .
The accused, Dillip Kumbhar, is said to be running a landgrab syndicate in the district. He is the hit man of the notorious Timan kumbhar involved in the recent kidnapping of two land owners.
On 14 June, Timan Kumbhar along with his associates abducted Parsuram Patel of Khutpali village along with Ghanasyam Patel at Barapudugia bus stop. They had allegedly forced them to sign on a stamp paper for selling 11 acres of land situated near Dhumamara, in the outskirts of Bolangir town.
When Parsuram, who had a share in the plot, opposed the deal they took them to nearby forest and beat them up. Latter Parsuram lodged a police complaint. On the basis of the complaint, police arrested Dillip Kumbhar.
Timan Kumbhar and his other associates are absconding.It may be noted that Timan is a leader of a gang involved in land grabbing and tender fixing.
Meanwhile in another related incident, Bolangir police encountered a hitman Sitaram Rana . The criminal was injured in the encounter near Mahimunda chowk under Puintala police limit.
He has as many as 35 criminal cases pending against him. Sitaram sustain bullet injury in his left leg in retaliatory firing by the police.